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Topic: POLL: Sexuality Question. (Read 4801 times)

I was looking at a new Gallup poll today, and I was wondering why a few people would refuse to answer a question, or maybe even lie about it. Particularly when the poll is anonymous/confidential.

This was the question:

Do you, personally, identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender?

You're offered four options:

1. Yes2. No.3. I don't know.4. I refuse to answer that question.

So I've got three questions about that:

a. Why would any straight people pick 4? (I understand why some LGBT people might).b. Why would anyone say they don't know? (Some late adolescents, I suppose...)c. Would some LGBT people lie and pick option 2?

So I thought I'd run the poll here. I imagine most people will pick options 1 or 2, honestly. But hopefully some people will explain why they would choose options 3 or 4; or admit that they would lie about choosing 1 or 2.

But if no-one does, this still might be an interesting snapshot of our little community anyway.

I always refuse to answer such questions; likewise ones that ask my racial origins. They are usually asked by organisations that have a statement that says, "We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation."

If that is true, why do they want to know?

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Nobody says “There are many things that we thought were natural processes, but now know that a god did them.”

I always refuse to answer such questions; likewise ones that ask my racial origins. They are usually asked by organisations that have a statement that says, "We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation."

If that is true, why do they want to know?

GB, this a Gallup poll, not a job interview. No need for paranoia. Their polls are anonymous and confidential, and they simply want to know what people think.

I wonder if some heteros might choose #4 because they find the question's implications so terrifying; they take refuge in an angry none of your business!!

I have a hetero friend who stopped donating blood partly because he was asked by a staffer if he'd ever had sex with a man, as part of the screening process. It was too scary / insulting for him to simply be asked; he hasn't donated since.

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Live a good life... If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid.--Marcus Aurelius

I have a hetero friend who stopped donating blood partly because he was asked by a staffer if he'd ever had sex with a man, as part of the screening process. It was too scary / insulting for him to simply be asked; he hasn't donated since.

opps. I must be getting tired (actually very). I misread the question. I thought it was asking if I WOULD answer that question. Yes I would answer, but no I'm not. So yeah, mentally remove 1 from yes and move it to no.

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"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution."

I do not understand the problem with that question. Irrational discrimination is bad, I get it. Racism, sexism, homophobia etc. is irrational discrimination so therefore it is bad BUT a business would NOT irrationally discriminate against sexuality. The only thing businesses care about is money. So if a business does anything, it does it because it will increase their profits not to irrationally discriminate.

A business will not shun homosexuals because the managers find homosexuals to be morally repugnant, a business will shun homosexuals because they are hard to market. There are no established homosexual men or women for a business to model their employees or human products(popstars etc.). Unless you are a niche market built specifically to market to homosexual males/females or transgenders, why would you hire a one in a position where they can make people uncomfortable and hurt profits?

When I was a pre-teen, or just turned 13 (I don't remember) I had to go to this clinic in south Florida where they stuck me with a needle countless times in both my arms (the inside of the arms down where the elbow is) removing a shitload of blood from my body (apparently I had too much blood in my body) and I am never doing anything like that or similar again.

eventually this question will be an obsolete device. there won't be any lines between gay or straight. once skynet takes over, sexual stimulation will be done electronically, not physically, like the poor little lab-rats that starve themselves in leiu of orgasms. reproduction will be done in sterile environments, children will be raised by machines... we'll all be hooked on soma. it will be beautiful.

Such as publish them. So then everyone has the results, and can do what they want with them. At that point, it doesn't much matter who paid for the survey.

But what use would they have for his name? If the people asking the questions for the poll you have linked asked the people their names...that might be enough to skew the results.

Think about it, some random person walks up to you or calls you on the phone telling you that they are with "so and so polling" and would you mind answering a few questions about your sexuality and the first thing they ask you is to state your name...That's enough to trigger suspicion of the polls anonymity in my mind.

I'd be very likely to either hang up or walk away. Depending on what mood I'm in I might give a false name[1] and give the most bizarre answers available.

Why would discrimination be bad? Without discriminating on people, you'd just be randomly selecting them. You discriminate based on job aptitude, image, marketability etc. If you didn't then you'd essentially be just choosing at random.

Moreover, there is no logical reason why you can't discriminate race, nationality, gender etc. because of marketability. If you want a store that will have the cultural and aesthetic appeal of a certain demographic then you employ people of that demographic to foster an atmosphere that will be most profitable.

If you were trying to market a gym as an all women place where women can let go and not need to fuss over their image, would you employ staff that could potentially undermine that atmosphere? Would you employ ripped and well toned men that'll conflict the vibe you are trying to sell?

a. Why would any straight people pick 4? (I understand why some LGBT people might).

Because some folks considers it as a personal question and isn't anyone's business, other folks may consider not labeling themselves. We're all basically human, our sexuality does not define who we are.

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b. Why would anyone say they don't know? (Some late adolescents, I suppose...)

Because people don't focus on their own sexuality. I didn't know what my sexuality is until in my late teens or early twenties, mostly because i don't think about it. Some are even afraid of being gay, bi, transgender considering their religious belief and what lies they heard about LGBT folks.

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c. Would some LGBT people lie and pick option 2?

Denial. Many LGBT people want to deny their sexuality based on their belief that homosexuality, bisexuality, or being transgender is wrong or that you'll burn in hell or you'll lead a tragic life.

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Me:What are you looking at Eminem?Brother: Nothing, Harry Potter.

I love to read books, just not your Bible. i support gay rights and women's rights. Why? Because i'm tired of the hate, stupidity, and your desire to control us all and make up lies.

Such as publish them. So then everyone has the results, and can do what they want with them. At that point, it doesn't much matter who paid for the survey.

I think that was my point. You may be happy to give your personal details to someone who will pass them on or sell them together with an assessment of your opinions and thus your preferences and social type, but I am not.

If you are from the UK, you will know that there is the Data Protection Act - a useless piece of legislation but it does define "Personal Data" and "Sensitive Data" and addresses it in (IIRC) section 29 and 31. Apparently, the government and the EU are concerned when such things are used. However, if you volunteer them, then you are outside the protection of the Act.

There are some details that should not concern other people. Government and marketing departments should operate fairly and address all races, religions, sexual orientations, disabilities, etc. They should not make assumptions nor should they target.

That irresponsible firms do collect this data for less than beneficial purposes; they do collect sensitive data and they do use it.

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Nobody says “There are many things that we thought were natural processes, but now know that a god did them.”